Instrument for slaughtering animals.



I. BEBER. m PDI BLAUGHTEIIIB LIIIII.

` IPR011101 Ilm Ill 4, IIN. 910,775.

Patented Jan. 2B, 1909.

l IHBBTHIBBT 1.

l N VEN TOH fezzryez'gf/Z B Y A 7TORNEYS W/TNESSES E. BEEGH.

msTBUMEHT F03 SLAUGHTEBING ANIMALS.

APPLIUATIOF FILED JUNE 4, 1903.

Patented .121.11.26, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

W/ TNE SSE S -.Bion E attached to the head B', and of such,

HENRY BERGH, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

INS'T'RIE'T FOR SLAUGHTE RING ANIMALS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 26, 1909.

Application filed June 4, 1908. Serial No. 436,588.

.To all 'whom it may concern.:

Be it known that l', HENRY Benen, a citi zen of the United States, and a resident of the cityof New York, borough. of Manhattan, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Instrumentfor Slaughtering Animals, oi" which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The invention relates to butchering and its object is to' provide a new and improved instrument for slaughtering animals, nota- 1bly-cattle, and arranged. to permit of forcibly, projecting a javehn into the brain of the animal-With a View to produce almost instant and painless death, thus rendering the slaugh tering of the animal humane, and obviatlng any misdirected or abortive blows against .the head of the animal.

The invention consists of novel features amd parte and combinations of the same which will be more fully described hereinaf- .tcr and then pointed out in the claims.

A., practical embodiment of the invention .is represented in the accompanying draw- -in s forming a art of this specification, in

W ich similar c aracters of reference indirate-oorrespondingparts in all the views.

Fig-ure 1 is a side elevation of the improvement mounted on a stand; Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal central section of the improvement, arranged for hand use and showing the partel in position ready for projecting the javelin; and Fi 3 is a similar view of the same and showin the parts in released position and the 'jave 'n on its outward stroke.

' The instrument may be arranged for hand use or mounted on a stand A in the fashion of .a swivel gun, as shown. in. Fig. 1. In either casethe instrument has `a barrel B in whichlreciprocates a plunger C, to the for- Ward end of which is secured the shank of a -iavelin -D, mounted to slide in a bearing ormed inthe forward head B B. The .head or ,'nomlally oontaine oint of the 'avelin D is within a tu ular exten- `a len h that when the javelin D is'at the -end -o its outward stroke then the head or -oint projects beyond the tubular extension l'thus allowing of placing the end of the ftubular extension E on the head of the aniigualito be slaughtered, previous to projecting the ja-violin D forward -for the head or t frthe javelinD to enter the animals hea at the gromt engaged by the end of theextenof the barre A sion E. A packing F is arranged in the head B around the Javelin D, to prevent the leakage of compressed air or other fluid under pressure, used for moving the plunger C forward and backward in the barrel -B, as hereinafter more fully ex lained.

The rear head B2 of t ie barrelB is ro vided with a handle B8 adapted to be ta en hold of by the o erator for conveniently manipulatin the instrument, and between the handle 3 and the head BZ is arranged a trigger G for manipulating a slide valve `H controlling the admission and exhaust of a fiuid pressure, such as compressed'air, to and from the end of the barrel B. The slide valve His provided with a head 4H surroundingthe rear end ofthe barrel B and having an annular recess or cavit H into which leads a nipple I connected y a hose J with a fiuid pressure supply such as a reservoir filled with compressed air or the like.. From the head. H extends rearwardly a pin K mounted to slide in the head B2 and engaged by the trigger G, so that when the operator presses the tri ger G the pin K and with it the valve is moved forward into the position shown in Fig. 3. The head H of the slide valve H controls ports-a normally open to the atmosphere, as shown in Fi 2, but when the trigger G -is ressed and t e valve H is pushed forward t en the cavity I-I2 moves in register with the portee,

so that the Huid pressure can pass from the.

cavity HL by Way of the ports a into the rear end of the barrel B, to act on vthe plunger 1C therein with a view to force the lunger C forward and with it the j avelin 1D. he, head H of the valve H is connected by pipes Hs with the forward head Hf, likewise .mounted to slide o n the barrel B, and havin channels b leadin from Ithe forward ends p the pipes H3 an adapted t0 connect with orts c formed in the forward end xof the barrel B. The rear ends of 4the pipes H3 open into the cavity -Ha so thatfiuid pressure can pass from the cavit H 1by -way of -the pipes Hs to the charme s b and by Way lof theports c into the forwardend-of the barrel B. Adjacent to the ports c Iand somewhat in the Arear thereof are arranged exhaust ports d adapted vto-connect the forward yend of the barrel B with the atmosphere at -the time the trigger G is pressed and the 'slide valve H is pushed into a forward position, as shown in Fig. 3. When the slide valve H is in the rear position, asmshown in Fig. 2,

then the channels b register with the ports c, to allow compressed air to pass from the cavity HN by way of the pi es H3, channels b and ports cinto the forwar end of the barrel B, to return the plunger C and to hold the latter in its rearmost position, as shown in Fi 2. The forward head H* of the slide valve H is pro vided with forwardly-extending pins L extending into recesses in the forward arrel head B', and in the said recesses are held s rings N pressing thepins L, to return t ie slide valve H to a normal rearmost position on the operator releasing the tri ger G. In the head B of the barrel B 1s secured a stop O projecting forwardly in the barrel B, to limit the rearward or return sliding motion of the plunger C and the javelin D.

The operation is as follows: When the several parts are'in the position shown in Figs. l and 2, then the plunger C is in a rearmost position to hold the javelin D retracted, and when it is desirf f l to slaughter an animal, it is onlyV necessary for the operator to place the terminal of the tubular extension E against the head of the animal at the desired spot, and then ress the trigger G, so that the slide va ve H is moved forward into the position shown in Fig. 3, whereby fluid pressure passes into the rear end of the barrel B, to project the plunger C and the javelin D in a forward direction. The javelin D passes with its head or point out of the terminal of the tubular extension E, to enter the animals head, thus killing the same. When the valve H, is mov'ed forward the head H thereof uncovers the portsli d, to allow the air in front of the lunge C to escape to the atmosphere at the same time the channels b are cut off from the portsl c, thus stop ing the sup lyl of compressed air to the ront'end of t e valve. As soon as the pgperator releases the trigger G, the springs ressing against the pins L return the sli e valve H to its normal rearmost osition, as shown in Fig. 2, whereb the ead H is cut o from the ports a an the latter open to the atmosphere, and at --the same time the exhaust ports d are closed by the head H4 and the ports c are connected with the channels b for the fluid pressure to pass into the forward end of the barrel B with a view to push the lplunger C back into its eainost position, t us retracting the jave- In order to give f he desired rigidity to the valve H, the latter is provided with a sleeve H5 mounted to slide on the barrel B, and in which the middle portions of the pipes H3 are secured. Y Y Y Y Y From the foregoing, it will be seen that normally the plunger C and the javelin D are in a rearmost or retracted position, and when the trigger G is pressed, the 'plunger and the javelin are forcibly projected forward, to cause the point or head of the javelin to enter the anlmals head, as above described, and as soon as the operator releases the trigger G the plunger C and the javelin D return to normal orretracted position.

,In order to aid the javelin in killing the animal, use is made of a small amount of air under pressure passing through the piston C, and the hollow stem of the javelin D into the point or head thereof, fromwhence it can escapefinto the brainof the animal, thus producing a further disruptive effect on the brain and a consequent more instantaneous insensibility. The openings C and D in the vpjston C and the point or head of the javelin are arcuate, to avoid undue loss of air pressure.

It is understood that when using highl compressed air, the 'avelin is projected wit such force that quie and hum ane execution of the animal is the result.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure 'by Letters Patent:

1. An instrument for slaughtering animals comprising a javelin, a iston in connection with the javelin, a barre in which the piston moves, means for admitting fluid pressure behind the piston whereby to project the javelin, means in connection with the piston and the barrel for admitting the pressure in front of the piston when the avelin is at the end of its stroke, and means in connaction with the avelin, for ermitting the escape of a portion of the fluid pressure from the end thereof, whereby to pass said pressure into the brain of the animal.

2. An instrument for slaughtering animals comprising a javelin, a piston in connectionl therewith, a barrel in which the piston moves, means for admitting fluid ressure behind the piston, whereby to project *the javelin, and means in connection with the javelin for admitting a portion of such pressure into the brain of the animal.

3. An instrument for slaughtering animals comprising a barrel, a piston therein, a javelin having a hollow stem secured to the said iston, means for admitting compressed air javelin forward, the said piston and the avein head having minute openings opening into the hollow stem, whereby to permit some of the compressed air to pass through the said openings and the hollow stem for t e purpose set forth.

4. An instrument for slaughtering animals, comprising a barrel, a lunger mounted to reciprocate in the said arrel, a javelin having its shank attached to the said plunger and projecting be ond the forward end of t e barrel, a slide valve on the said barrel connected with a fluid pressure supply, and controlling admission and exhaust ports at the mtoithe barrel to propelthe piston and the ends of the said barrel, a tri lger for pushing the said slide valve forward; and springs for returning the slide valve on releasing the trigger. y

An instrument for slaughtering animals, comprising a barrel, a glunger mounted to reciprocate in the seid arrel, a. javelin having its shank attached to the said plun er and projecting beyond the forward end of t e barrel, a slide va ve on the said barrel connected with a. fiuid pressure supply, and controlling admission and exhaust ports at the ends of the said barrel, a trigger for pushing the said slide valve forwardly, springs for returning the slide valve on releasing the tri er, and a handle on the rear head of the szud errel and between which and the said rear head extends the said trigger.

6. An instrument for slaughtering animals comprising a barrel, a jave 'n mounted for reciprocation in the barrel, and rejecting be ond the forward end thereo a slide valrve on the barrel connected with the iuid pressure supply and controllin admission and exhaust' ports atthe end of t e said bar rel, a trigger for pushing the said valve forwardly, and springs for returning the slide valve on releasing the tri r.

In testimony whereof ghave signed my -name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY BERGH.

Witnesses:

Timo. G. Hosmu, JOHN P. DAvIs. 

